Bilingual reading

But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

As he traveled, he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him.

He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

He said, “Who are you, Lord?” The Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

But rise up and enter into the city, then you will be told what you must do.”

The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the sound, but seeing no one.

Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. They led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank.

Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” He said, “Behold, it’s me, Lord.”

The Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judah for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying,

and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight.”

But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to your saints at Jerusalem.

Here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”

But the Lord said to him, “Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel.

For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

Ananias departed and entered into the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized.

He took food and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus.

Immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed the Christ, that he is the Son of God.

All who heard him were amazed, and said, “Isn’t this he who in Jerusalem made havoc of those who called on this name? And he had come here intending to bring them bound before the chief priests!”

But Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

When many days were fulfilled, the Jews conspired together to kill him,

but their plot became known to Saul. They watched the gates both day and night that they might kill him,

but his disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.

When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.

He was with them entering into Jerusalem,

preaching boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus. He spoke and disputed against the Hellenists, but they were seeking to kill him.

When the brothers knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

So the assemblies throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were built up. They were multiplied, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

As Peter went throughout all those parts, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.

There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years because he was paralyzed.

Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed!” Immediately he arose.

All who lived at Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which when translated means Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and acts of mercy which she did.

In those days, she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.

As Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them.

Peter got up and went with them. When he had come, they brought him into the upper room. All the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the tunics and other garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.

Peter sent them all out, and knelt down and prayed. Turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

He gave her his hand and raised her up. Calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

This became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

He stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.

أَمَّا شاول فما زالَ صَدرُه يَنفُثُ تَهديدًا وتَقتيلًا لِتَلاميذِ الرَّبّ. فقَصَدَ إِلى عَظيمِ الكَهَنَة

وطَلَب مِنه رَسائِلَ إِلى مَجامِعِ دِمَشق، حتَّى إِذا وَجَدَ أُناسًا على هٰذِه الطَّريقَة، رِجالًا ونِساء، ساقَهم موثَقينَ إِلى أُورَشَليم

وبَينَما هو سائِرٌ، وقَدِ ٱقتَرَبَ مِن دِمَشق، إِذا نورٌ مِنَ السَّماءِ قد سَطَعَ حَولَه

فسَقَطَ إِلى الأَرض، وسَمِعَ صَوتًا يَقولُ لَه: «شاوُل، شاوُل، لِماذا تَضطَهِدُني؟»

فقال: «مَن أَنتَ يا ربّ؟» قال: «أَنا يسوعُ الَّذي أَنتَ تَضطَهِدُه

ولٰكِن قُمْ فٱدخُلِ المَدينة، فيُقالَ لَكَ ما يَجِبُ علَيكَ أَن تَفعَل»

وأَمَّا رُفَقاؤُه فوَقَفوا مَبْهوتين يَسمَعونَ الصَّوتَ ولا يَرَونَ أَحَدًا

فنَهَضَ شاولُ عنِ الأَرض وهُو لا يُبصِرُ شَيئًا، مع أَنَّ عَينَيهِ كانَتا مُنفَتِحَتَين. فٱقتادوه بِيَدِه ودَخَلوا به دِمَشق

فلَبِثَ ثَلاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ مَكْفوفَ البَصَر لا يأكُلُ ولا يَشرَب

وكانَ في دِمَشقَ تِلميذٌ ٱسمُه حَنَنْيا. فقالَ له الرَّبُّ في رُؤْيا: «يا حَنَنْيا!» قال: «لَبَّيكَ، يا رَبّ»

فقالَ له الرَّبّ: «قُمْ فٱذهَبْ إِلى الزُّقاقِ المَعروفِ بِالزُّقاقِ المُستَقيم، وٱسأَلْ في بَيتِ يَهوذا عن شاوُلَ المُسَمَّى الطَّرَسُوسي. فهاهُوَذا يُصَلِّي

وقَد رأَى في رُؤياهُ رَجُلًا ٱسمُه حَنَنْيا يَدخُلُ ويَضَعُ يَدَيه علَيه لِيُبصِر»

فأَجابَ حَنَنْيا: «يا رَبّ، سَمِعتُ بِهٰذا الرَّجُلِ مِن أُناسٍ كَثيرين كم أَساءَ إِلى قِدِّيسيكَ في أُورَشَليم

وعِندَه هٰهُنا تَفويضٌ مِن عُظَماءِ الكَهَنَةِ لِيوثِقَ كُلَّ مَن يَدعو بِٱسمِكَ»

فقالَ له الرَّبّ: «إِذهَبْ فهٰذا الرَّجُلُ أَداةٌ ٱختَرتُها لكي يَكونَ مَسؤولًا عنِ ٱسْمي عِندَ الوَثَنِيِّينَ والمُلوكِ وبَني إِسرائيل

فإِنِّي سأُريه ما يَجِبُ علَيه أَن يُعانِيَ مِنَ الأَلَمِ في سَبيلِ ٱسْمي»

فَمَضى حَنَنْيا، فدَخَلَ البَيتَ ووَضَعَ يَدَيهِ علَيه وقال: «يا أَخي شاوُل، إِنَّ الرَّبَّ أَرسَلَني، وهو يسوعُ الَّذي تراءَى لَكَ في الطَّريقِ الَّتي قَدِمتَ مِنها، أَرسَلَني لِتُبصِرَ وتَمتَلِئَ مِنَ الرُّوحِ القُدُس»

فتَساقَطَ عِندَئذٍ مِن عَينَيهِ مِثلُ القُشور. فأَبصَرَ وقامَ فٱعتَمَدَ

ثُمَّ تَناوَلَ طَعامًا فَعادَت إِلَيه قُواه. وأَقامَ بِضعَةَ أَيَّامٍ مع التَّلاميذِ الَّذينَ في دِمَشق

فأَخَذَ لِوَقتِه يُنادي في المَجامِعِ بِأَنَّ يسوعَ هو ٱبنُ الله

فكانَ كُلُّ مَن يَسمَعُه يَدهَشُ ويَقول: «أَلَيسَ هٰذا الَّذي كان في أُورَشَليمَ يُحاوِلُ تَدْميرَ الَّذينَ يَدْعونَ بِهٰذا الِاسم؟ أَوَما جاءَ إِلى هُنا لِيَسوقَهم مُوثَقينَ إِلى عُظَماءِ الكَهَنَة؟»

على أَنَّ شاوُلَ كانَ يَزدادُ قُوَّةً، ويُفحِمُ اليَهودَ المُقيمينَ في دِمَشق، مُبَيِّنًا أَنَّ يسوعَ هو المَسيح

ولَمَّا ٱنقَضَت بِضعَةُ أَيَّام تَشاوَرَ اليَهودُ لِيَغْتالوه

فٱنتَهى خَبَرُ مُؤامَرَتِهم إِلى شاوُل. فكانوا يُراقِبونَ الأَبوابَ نهارًا ولَيلًا لِيَغْتالوه

فسارَ بِه تلاميذُه لَيلًا ودَلَّوه مِنَ السُّورِ في زِنْبيل

ولمَّا وصَلَ إِلى أُورَشَليم حاولَ أَن يَنضَمَّ إِلى التَّلاميذ. فكانوا كُلُّهم يَخافونَه غَيرَ مُصَدِّقينَ أَنَّه تِلْميذ

فأَخَذَ بَرْنابا بِيَدِه وسارَ به إِلى الرُّسُل ورَوى لَهم كَيفَ رأَى الرَّبَّ في الطَّريق وكَلَّمَه الرَّبّ، وكَيفَ تَكَلَّمَ بِجُرأَةٍ بِٱسمِ يسوعَ في دِمَشق

وكانَ يَذهَبُ ويَجيءُ معَهم في أُورَشَليم يَتَكَلَّمُ بِجُرأَةٍ بِٱسمِ الرَّبّ

وكانَ يُخاطِبُ اليَهودَ الهِلِّينِيِّينَ أَيضًا ويُجادِلُهم. فحاوَلوا أَن يَغتالوه

فشَعَرَ الإِخوَةُ بِذٰلِكَ فَمَضوا بِه إِلى قَيصَرِيَّة، ثُمَّ رَحَّلوه مِنها إِلى طَرَسُوس

وكانَتِ الكَنيسَةُ تَنعَمُ بِالسَّلامِ في جَميعِ اليَهودِيَّةِ والجَليلِ والسَّامِرَة. وكانَت تَنشأُ وتَسيرُ على مَخافةِ الرَّبّ، وتَنْمو بِتَأييدِ الرُّوحِ القُدُس

وكانَ بُطرُسُ يَسيرُ في كُلِّ مَكان، فنزَلَ بالقِدِّيسينَ المُقيمينَ في اللُّدّ

فلَقِيَ فيها رَجُلًا ٱسمُه أَيْنِياس يَلزَمُ الفِراشَ مُنذُ ثَماني سَنَوات، وكانَ مُقعَدًا

فقالَ له بُطرُس: «يا أَيْنِياس، أَبرَأَكَ يسوعُ المسيح، فقُمْ وأَصلِحْ فِراشَكَ بِيَدِكَ!» فقامَ مِن وَقتِه

ورآه جَميعُ سُكَّانِ اللُّدِّ وسَهْلِ الشَّارون فٱهتَدَوا إِلى الرَّبّ

وكانَ في يافا تِلميذَةٌ ٱسمُها طابيثة، أَي ظَبيَة، غَنِيَّةٌ بِالأَعمالِ الصَّالِحَةِ والصَّدَقاتِ الَّتي تُعطيها

فٱتَّفَقَ أَنَّها مَرِضَت في تِلكَ الأَيَّامِ وماتَت. فغَسَلوها ووَضَعوها في عُلِّيَّة

ولَمَّا كانَتِ اللُّدُّ قَريبَةً مِن يافا سَمِعَ التَّلاميذُ أَنَّ بُطرُسَ فيها، فأَرسَلوا إِلَيه رَجُلَينِ وناشَدوه: «لا تَتَأَخَّرْ في المَجيءِ إِلَينا»

فقامَ بُطرُس ومَضى معَهما. فلَمَّا وَصَلَ صَعِدوا بِه إِلى العُلِّيَّة، فأَقبلَت علَيه جَميعُ الأَرامِلِ باكِياتٍ يُرينهُ الأَقمِصَةَ والأَردِيَةَ الَّتي صَنَعَتها ظَبيَةُ إِذ كانَت معَهُنَّ

فأَخرَجَ بُطرُسُ النَّاسَ كُلَّهم، وجَثا وصلَّى ثُمَّ ٱلتَفَتَ إِلى الجُثْمانِ وقال: «طابيثة، قومي!» ففَتَحَت عَينَيها، فأَبصرَت بُطرُس، فجَلَسَت

فمَدَّ إِلَيها يَدَه وأَنهَضَها ثُمَّ دعا القِدِّيسينَ والأَرامِلَ فأَراهم إِيَّاها حَيَّة

فٱنتَشَر الخَبَرُ في يافا كُلِّها، فآمَنَ بِالرَّبِّ خَلْقٌ كثير

ومَكَثَ بُطرُسُ بِضعَةَ أَيَّامٍ في يافا عِندَ دَبَّاغٍ ٱسمُه سِمْعان